EPT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 2 Education Partnership Trust, Pleckgate Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 8QA ‐ Telephone: 01254 790026 ‐ email: contact@ept‐uk.com EPT NEWSLETTER
AUTUMN TERM 2016
CREATING OUTSTANDING SCHOOLS WHICH TRANSFORM LEARNING, LIVES & COMMUNITIES EPT Newsletter Autumn 2016 Update from the Chief Executive EPT Central Office I am delighted to announce that the Secretary of State has approved our application to establish The Heights Burnley, an Alternative Provision Free School for pupils aged from five to Welcome to the second edition of the sixteen in Burnley. The school will Education Partnership Trust (EPT) deliver outstanding education newsletter – I hope you found the enabling pupils to develop confidence, first version a useful form of resilience and employability; so they communication. I would also like to can progress into education, thank colleagues for their employment and training. This will contributions. mean we will become an ‘established’ Multi‐Academy Trust with five During the summer holiday, the academies. Negotiations are still refurbishment of the former taking place regarding the Pleckgate City Learning Centre took Shuttleworth College conversion place where the Trust central team which is mainly due to the PFI are based. The building now has a contract. board room on the ground floor, meeting rooms, offices and a I would like to thank our training room with multi‐media. All of Headteacher's, senior leaders and these facilities are available to Trust staff for the significant progress being schools. School Direct are also made by all our schools. The results leasing the training room and office have been really positive and are a space for primary teacher training as testament to your hard work and part of a twelve‐month arrangement. commitment. I would like to personally welcome all new colleagues to the EPT including Sharon Roscoe Michael Bradshaw who will be starting as our new financial controller CEO Education Partnership Trust in November and David Bury who has started as our receptionist. EPT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 2 Education Partnership Trust, Pleckgate Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 8QA ‐ Telephone: 01254 790026 ‐ email: contact@ept‐uk.com HR Update
Strictly Education Childcare Vouchers Get Online LGPS As an employee benefit of working for the EPT, we offer Childcare Vouchers which are there to help working parents pay for their childcare costs. The scheme allows employees to exchange up to £243 per month, directly from their gross salary ‐ before tax and national insurance are deducted to pay for (This will not apply to Pleckgate childcare costs. This allows staff until April 2017) employees to save up to approximately £933 per year. If As of September 2016 we have changed to our new payroll provider you are interested in finding out Strictly Education. They specialise in more about our childcare vouchers or signing up, please click on the providing payroll services for Fideliti link below. schools and academies across the country. We hope this will help to You will need to enter the following streamline the current payroll scheme number for the school process due to their expert knowledge of the education sector. which you work at: Payroll will now be managed within Pleckgate: PLE3750 each individual school via the user friendly online portal. The portal is designed to centralise the whole Eden: EDE8104 process and help each school effectively manage their own payroll function. Coal Clough: COA2355 If you should have any queries regarding payroll, please see your Heights: HEI4080 School Business Manager or alternatively contact Strictly Education on: Tel: 0330 123 2541 EPT: EDU3289 What are the advantages of My Pension Online: • See your pension grow each year • View your annual benefits statement • View your pension record and update any changes • Produce your own pension forecasts • Obtain forms to make an expression of wish/nominate a co‐habiting partner • Contact YPS via My Pension Online Find out more by following this link: Your Pension Service Pension Surgeries: Towards the end of the year, YPS will be holding a series of Pension Surgeries (15 minute appointments) across Lancashire. Staff from LGPS will be available for you to speak to regarding your LGPS pension queries of if you just want further information about joining the scheme: Find out more by following this link: Find out more by following this link: Fideliti Childcare Vouchers Pension Surgeries 2 EPT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 2 Education Partnership Trust, Pleckgate Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 8QA ‐ Telephone: 01254 790026 ‐ email: contact@ept‐uk.com HR Policy Update Coming Up The Long Term Sickness Absence The policies currently under Policy and Short Term Absence consultation are: Policy have been consulted upon, • Revision to the Grievance and agreed with our trade union Policy • Whistleblowing Policy New: Employment Law colleagues, at the policy development meeting on 26th • Redundancy Policy Sessions by Forbes September 2016. The policies will We will be arranging training in support the schools with the the new year on the management of sickness implementation of HR policies at absence, and have different Ruth an operational level, providing approaches in respect of Rule‐Mullen the opportunity to share addressing short and long term experiences and best practice. periods of sickness absence, reviewing warnings for short New: Employee Survey term absenteeism only. The triggers for short term absence EPT has listened to feedback have also been amended to; from schools and has commissioned an Employee •
10 working days sickness Engagement Survey. Following The Trust HR Department has absence and/or several meetings with various arranged for Ruth Rule‐Mullen •
4 periods of sickness companies that commission this, (Partner) at Forbes Solicitors to absence in a rolling period we believe Smith & Henderson to present an Employment Law of 12 months (pro rata for be the best fit for this process. Session to Middle and Senior part time employees) More information will be Management across all schools: available soon with a view to go The policies will be sent to This event will be held live in January 2017! schools for adoption and DATE ratification at the next full Are you the next Ronaldo? 6th December at 3:30pm governing body meetings. Thank The EPT are planning to enter a VENUE you to those that provided football team in the 2017 EPT Central Office, feedback as part of the Orphanage Cup. This commences Pleckgate Road, Blackburn. consultation process. March 2017, if you are interested in being a part of the team please As this is the first event of this email: dbury@ept‐uk.com kind within the EPT, we would encourage as many Middle and Trials will take place at Blackburn Senior Leaders to attend to soccerdome in December 2016 support CPD in this area. Please click on the link below to Twitter register your interest to attend this event. You can now follow us on Find out more by following this link: Twitter@Education_PT Update
Register Here 3 EPT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 2 Pleckgate High School, Pleckgate Road, Blackburn, BB1 8QA ‐ Telephone: 01254 249134 ‐ email: [email protected] Students of the Future Best Results for Pleckgate National Poetry Day Pleckgate students found plenty of time to rhyme on National Pleckgate is celebrating its best ever year for GCSE results Poetry Day. Poet Seamus Kelly held The Lancashire Telegraph School workshops with Years Seven, of the Year achieved a 61% pass Eight and Nine students from rate for students achieving Pleckgate and the senior grades A*‐C, in both English and teachers at the school, including mathematics. Head Teacher Mr Cocker, also Last year’s GCSE results put got involved by reading a piece Pleckgate in the top five schools of poetry during the sessions. nationally, based on similar Mr Kelly, who is based in schools, these improved results Rochdale, read some of his own bode well for the school. poems but also got the students to talk about the made‐up words “The results are testament to the used in Lewis Carroll’s hard work and dedication of the ‘Jabberwocky’ and also discuss staff and the students. We are the poem ‘Albert and the Lion.’ very happy to see these “It’s about inspiring the students continued improvements with and those at Pleckgate were 74% of students making at least inquisitive,” said Mr Kelly, who expected progress and 48% began his interest in poetry when making better than expected of he was given a book of poems progress in mathematics, aged nine. and 76% of students made at “Poetry is about emotions and least expected progress and 38% the poems the students made better than expected produced were of a high progress in English” standard.” Mark Cocker, Headteacher Pleckgate opened their doors to students of the future where they enjoyed a spell of reading, tried their hand at science experiments and also solved English and Math's puzzles. Current Year Six pupils spent their time having a look around the thriving school, which is again seeing significant growth in student numbers. Pleckgate’s sport ambassador Mahek Shah showed Ruhan Fatimah, from Holy Souls, how to do a standing long jump while year Eight student, Uzair Rehman, built a Lego digger and was using the BBC’s Micro:Bits programme to make it move and dig – showing it off to the prospective student in the school’s Business and Computer Science Department. Pleckgate expect a bumper entry for next year’s Year Sevens. 4 EPT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 2 Coal Clough Academy, Swindon Street, Burnley, Lancashire, BB11 4PF ‐ Telephone: 01282 421142 ‐ email: [email protected] We’re really excited about the new term and in order develop our provision further we are launching many new initiatives. These will include: A WARM WELCOME TO COAL CLOUGH ACADEMY IN BURNLEY •
Providing half‐termly reports which will inform schools and parents regularly and in detail of the progress of their child. •
Changing the start of the school day to 8:30 am which will bring it in line with our nearest partner schools. Last term saw big changes at Coal • The introduction of Clough Academy. The introduction consultation days to further of our new curriculum and improve our communication behaviour policy has led to and partnership work. outstanding progress and a • A big focus on improving the positive impact throughout the quality of teaching & school, including: learning, especially in core subjects. • A culture of respect and high expectations of pupils and We’re confident that the school staff has been developed will move from strength to strength and value the continued • Improved pupil motivation support of parents and our and engagement partners on our journey to • Increased pupil attendance excellence. •
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The Mayor was thrilled to support the event as he was “born and bred in Burnley and, in particular, the Stoops estate part of the town”, which is adjacent to Coal Clough Head Speaks at Conference Head teacher, Gary Holding, was invited to speak at the Lancashire Enterprise Adviser Network Conference at The Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Accrington, in September. Over one hundred delegates were present to learn about the progress made by a project designed to pair businesses Improvement in behaviour of with schools across the county pupils Mayor Visits the School to help build employer A dramatic reduction in In September the school hosted a engagement and careers and enterprise plans. Gary was able incidents (there have been no successful Macmillan Coffee to describe the valuable, yet exclusions throughout the Morning. The school’s challenging work done by staff Summer term) fundraising event for people facing cancer raised a staggering at Coal Clough Academy and how creating positive links with £170. Parents and carers and families of staff were invited and local employers will give pupils real life and relevant in addition, the school was experiences in the world of delighted that the Mayor of Burnley, Councilor Jeff Sumner, work. attended the event. . 5 EPT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 2 Coal Clough Academy, Swindon Street, Burnley, Lancashire, BB11 4PF ‐ Telephone: 01282 421142 ‐ email: [email protected] students were able to meet the site manager, find out about different roles on the site and given the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of a live construction site. Those who attended the event learnt about Apprenticeship and Post 16 learning opportunities. Students were then “kitted out” Princes Trust Launch with PPE and given a site tour where they were able to observe detached, semi‐detached & mews properties being built. Coal Clough Academy was one of the first schools in the country to sign up for this new pathfinder project. Head teacher, Gary Holding said, "I’ve been really impressed with the work of Kay Vaughan and all her colleagues from the Enterprise Adviser Staff and pupils have been Network and Jobcentre attending workshops as the school launches the Princes Trust Plus‐Support. It’s great to see a Achieve Programme with Year 11 local business, such as Keep Moat, supporting a local school pupils. The course provides a and giving our pupils a fantastic practical approach to learning real life experience on a working which will support our young construction site”. people to fulfill their potential. The Achieve programme provides an opportunity for pupils to try new activities, boost their confidence and gain a recognised Prince's Trust qualification. New Collaboration A recent collaboration between Jobcentre Plus‐Support for Schools & Keep Moat Ltd led to a group of students from Coal Clough Academy visiting a housing development scheme in Burnley. During the visit, New Appointments Holly Clarke Deputy Head The school has recently made some crucial appointments. Holly Clarke will be working closely with all our partners and referring schools to improve communication and build new relationships. She will also be attending the pupil placement meetings in both Burnley and Pendle to ensure that provision is closely monitored across the schools, allowing pupils the opportunity to be engaged and progress in their education. Holly also has an important remit to improve the quality of Teaching & Learning within the school. T&L is high priority for the school and Holly has already launched new strategies within the school. Vicky Allen becomes our new School Business Manager. She has a wealth of experience working for the Local Authority and has been given the responsibility of estab‐
lishing effective management of the school’s finances.
Chris Whittaker has been employed as Head of English. Improving Literacy skills and reading ability is another key priority throughout the school. Mohammed Farook Teaching Assistant 6 EPT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 2 The Heights Free School, Heys Lane, Blackburn, BB2 4NW ‐ Telephone: 01254 261655 ‐ email: [email protected] Whole School Team Building Challenge Welcomes New Students Introduction of School Houses Our new students started their first day with a fun team building challenge. Who could build the Introduction from the tallest tower using only 60 straws Head of School and a roll of tape? The added test was whether or not it could hold It has been a very busy start to an egg! the new academic year with a Students worked in their new new cohort of Key Stage 4 pupils tutor groups, building joining us. We have welcomed relationships with new new staff, launched new classmates determined to win initiatives and celebrated the competition. Well done to successes. The Nurture team tutor group Sport and Leisure 1 have been successfully on their winning design. This term saw the introduction of re‐accredited with The Marjorie the new house system at The Boxall Quality Mark Award and Heights. Pupils and staff have our Behaviour Manager Helen been divided into three houses: Morris has completed her Level 5 Fogarty, Toksvig and McKellen Diploma in Education and and have competed in an Training. To see more of our inter‐house quiz. This proved news and updates please follow highly enjoyable and staff us on Twitter or check out our showed their competitive website. natures! We also elected Callum Alston as our Head Boy, Holly Hannah Speakman Rothwell‐Ball as Head Girl with Reace Meadowcroft and Yasmin Head of School Tomlinson as deputies. They have proved themselves assets to the school already. 7 EPT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 2 The Heights Free School, Heys Lane, Blackburn, BB2 4NW ‐ Telephone:01254 261655 ‐ email: [email protected] Macmillan Coffee Morning Macmillan coffee morning was a big success and a very enjoyable morning at The Heights on Friday 30th September. The Heights managed to raise £95 for the charity. Students were keen to get involved. Many baked and brought in cakes to sell and there was lots of money being donated throughout the day. A big thank you to everyone who helped make the day a success! New Arrivals September saw a number of new arrivals at The Heights. Natalie Lewis & Sally‐Anne Fraser joined the team as Maths and English leads respectively, Simon Curtis joined the Nurture team as Year 9 teacher and Milly Brierley joined us as a TLA. We were also joined by Benjamin, the new Nurture Therapy Rabbit who is proving a very popular addition! 8 EPT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 2 Eden School, Heys Lane, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4NW ‐ Telephone: 01254 790241 ‐ email: [email protected] Grand Opening Event Special Guests Simon Weston OBE and Kate Hollern officially opened the new school building on 7th September 2016 The event was attended by pupils, parents and colleagues from the local area. The event was also supported by partners/
suppliers who have supported Eden in the first two years. Wood Sage Residential Feeding the Homeless Dave Stafford, our Lead Outdoor Education Instructor and his team took a group of students to Wood Sage for a residential. Young people took part in a variety of activities and much fun (but not much sleep!) was had by all. A number of pupils made up food parcels and distributed them to homeless people in Manchester City Centre. An opportunity to ask questions and experience real life challenges was embraced and enjoyed by all involved . National Poetry Day A guest MC will be in school to inspire pupils to develop and appreciate language and create their own rhymes using digital technology. 9 EPT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 2 Eden School, Heys Lane, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4NW ‐ Telephone: 01254 790241 ‐ email: [email protected] Coming Soon at Eden Curriculum Enrichment visits All pupils will take part in a series of offsite events, activities and experiences that support their learning during October. Follow us on Twitter @The_Eden_School London Trip Operating Theatre Live! Eden School was turned into an operating theatre for the first day of term. All pupils were given an opportunity explore the human body using real life brains, hearts, lungs and intestines. Smelly and scary but an amazing experience . Pupils will take part in a trip to London to visit cultural and historical sites in mid‐November. They will also visit Wembley Stadium to watch England national football team play against Spain. NEW STAFF WELCOME! Shaun West ‐ KS 2/3 Teacher Tony Gagg ‐ Teaching Assistant Both have settled in well and provided new and exciting options for pupils. Education Partnership Trust, Pleckgate Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 8QA ‐ Telephone: 01254790026 ‐ email: contact@ept‐uk.com We recognise the need for effective communication across the trust and always welcome your thoughts and suggestions on how this can be further improved. Please send these to: hrenquiries@ept‐uk.com 10